Oakland Raiders coach Jon Gruden acknowledged Sunday night that Khalil Mack’s contract demands were simply too large for the team’s comfort, and the trade offer from the Chicago Bears was too enticing to pass up.
“They’re trying to divide us,” Gruden said. “People are trying to divide us: ‘I wanted him gone, he wanted him here.’ We made a decision as an organization. [Owner] Mark Davis, [executive] Tom Delaney, we all got the information and we made a decision, together. And I’ll just say what [Reggie] said — I read what he said yesterday — it’s a decision that we all came to.
“I know there’s maybe some feeling that maybe I was involved in a day-to-day negotiation. I had nothing to do with it. We were at a standoff and something had to happen, and here we are.”
Jon Gruden said he was not involved in including the second-round pick that went back to the Bears in the Khalil Mack trade.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 3, 2018
Jon Gruden: "We're going to be second guessed on this until the cows come home."
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 3, 2018
Mack, who held out and had not been at the Raiders’ practice facility since the end of last season, was under contract and due to make $13.8 million this season on the fifth-year option of his rookie deal. The Raiders could have used the franchise tag on him next season.
How Raiders fans looking at Jon Gruden and Mark Davis for trading Khalil Mack pic.twitter.com/aMxRq7yG3E
— Josiah Johnson (@KingJosiah54) September 1, 2018
On Sunday night, Mack tweeted his gratitude to the Raiders fan base.
Raider Nation the love you’ve shown my family and I for the past 4 years has been amazing we loved every minute of it! Unfortunately it has come to an end but I will cherish my time in Oakland forever and will forever have love for the Nation!
— Khalil Mack (@52Mack_) September 3, 2018
I’m fully confident that Gruden will get the most out of the players he has on his roster. You have to remember, he’s an old school guy, probably not used to having to explain himself, but when you make 100 million dollars to coach football, explanations are needed.
